But since Cogita did not bring it up herself, Xia You naturally pretended not to know, playing dumb despite understanding perfectly.
In fact, not just Xia You, but even Cynthia had some idea of why Cogita had come. After all, aside from that one thing, neither of them had much that would warrant this woman approaching them.
But likewise, since Cogita said nothing, she certainly would not bring it up herself.
With Cogita leading the way, the two toured Jubilife Village and gained a general understanding of the place.
The village was indeed small, surrounded by mountains and protected by walls and gates. A river ran through its center, dividing it in two, with homes scattered throughout. Along both sides of its main thoroughfare, Flower Garden Avenue, stood numerous buildings, such as the three-story Galaxy Team Headquarters and the Ginkgo Guild's local shop.
Not only that, Cogita also took them outside the village for a look at the training grounds and the Pasture.
Overall, it was not much different from the town where Xia You and Cynthia had stayed before, though it was somewhat less developed. The biggest difference was the addition of Galaxy Team Headquarters and its associated buildings and facilities.
Finally, Cogita brought the two of them before a man outside the village.
Xia You spotted the man from afar. He was sitting on a low stone wall, wearing a somewhat battered, dark, broad-brimmed cap, along with a matching dark coat and trousers. He looked rather like a railway police officer and seemed to pay little attention to his appearance-or rather... as though he had weathered some great storms.
Because of the brim of his cap, Xia You did not immediately get a clear look at his face. He merely felt that his outfit seemed familiar.
And it